BC property transfer tax calculator
Work out British Columbia property transfer tax on a commercial, multifamily or mixed use purchase, then read how each part of the tax is built.
The short answer
BC property transfer tax is marginal: 1 percent on the first 200,000 dollars of fair market value, 2 percent on the portion from 200,000 to 2,000,000 dollars and 3 percent above 2,000,000 dollars, with a further 2 percent on residential value above 3,000,000 dollars.
| Portion of fair market value | Rate |
|---|---|
| First 200,000 dollars | 1 percent |
| 200,000 to 2,000,000 dollars | 2 percent |
| Above 2,000,000 dollars | 3 percent |
| Residential value above 3,000,000 dollars | Further 2 percent |
Your purchase
Fair market value at the time of registration
Property transfer tax
- 1 percent on the first 200,000 dollars
- $2,000
- 2 percent from 200,000 to 2,000,000 dollars
- $36,000
- 3 percent above 2,000,000 dollars
- $90,000
- Total property transfer tax
- $128,000
Rates checked at gov.bc.ca on September 18, 2026. Your lawyer or notary calculates the tax on the transfer form and confirms any exemption.
This calculator covers commercial, multifamily and mixed use purchases. Home buyer exemptions such as the first time home buyers exemption are not modelled here; check the Province of British Columbia page.
Rates checked at gov.bc.ca on September 18, 2026. Your lawyer or notary calculates the tax on the transfer form and confirms any exemption.
How property transfer tax is calculated in BC
The tiers are marginal, not flat. Each rate applies only to the slice of value inside its band, so a higher price never pulls the whole amount up to the top rate. The tax applies to the fair market value at the time of registration, whether the property is commercial, industrial, multifamily or bare land.
Two worked examples, computed with the same rules the calculator uses:
Commercial only purchase at $1,000,000
- 1 percent on the first 200,000 dollars
- $2,000
- 2 percent from 200,000 to 2,000,000 dollars
- $16,000
- Total property transfer tax
- $18,000
Commercial only purchase at $5,000,000
- 1 percent on the first 200,000 dollars
- $2,000
- 2 percent from 200,000 to 2,000,000 dollars
- $36,000
- 3 percent above 2,000,000 dollars
- $90,000
- Total property transfer tax
- $128,000
Mixed use and residential portions
The further 2 percent applies only to residential value above 3,000,000 dollars, and on a mixed use building only to the residential portion of the value. The split between residential and commercial value is set on the transfer and your lawyer will want support for it.
The additional 20 percent for foreign nationals, foreign corporations and taxable trustees also applies to the residential portion only, and only in these areas: Capital Regional District, Fraser Valley Regional District, Metro Vancouver Regional District, Regional District of Central Okanagan, Regional District of Nanaimo. A purely commercial building carries no additional tax.
New purpose built rental exemption
From January 1, 2025 to December 31, 2030 a new qualifying purpose built rental building is exempt from property transfer tax. The building must be non stratified, hold at least 4 separate apartments, and the entire residential portion must be rented on a monthly basis or longer for at least 10 years from registration. Buildings registered in 2024 were exempt only from the further 2 percent.
The exemption is claimed on the transfer form by your lawyer and confirmed against the conditions. We do not give tax advice. See how it sits alongside MLI Select financing.
When it is paid and whether it can be financed
Property transfer tax is paid to the Province of British Columbia at registration, as part of closing. It cannot be financed on a conventional commercial loan: the lender sizes against the property, and the tax is cash on the day.
Budget it on top of the down payment, along with the reports, legal fees and lender costs set out on the BC commercial closing costs page.
Property transfer tax questions.
Related reading
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